What is it about?

This study examines the impact of different types of intelligence, specifically fluid (problem-solving) and crystallized (prior knowledge), on how people learn and perform in video games. Using the mystery game The Deed, the authors examined participants' first and second playthroughs to assess whether cognitive ability predicted in-game success and learning gains. The results showed that crystallized intelligence helped players succeed in their first attempt, while fluid intelligence played a more significant role in the second attempt.

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Why is it important?

Games are increasingly used in education and research, but not all players start from the same place. This study highlights the importance of giving players time to acclimate and shows how different cognitive skills matter at different stages of gameplay. It supports the idea that to fairly assess learning in games, or to use them as training tools, we must account for these individual differences. The findings also help game designers and researchers think more critically about how to design tutorials, assess player readiness, and interpret in-game behaviors.

Perspectives

I’ve always been fascinated by how people learn to play. This study reminds us of the importance of considering not just what happens in a game, but also what people bring to it, especially when we use games as assessment or instructional tools. We often discuss “learning by doing” in games, but this paper helped us unpack how problem-solving and prior knowledge influence what gets done and when. It’s also a call to researchers: if we want to measure learning in games, we need to make space for people to settle in first.

Dr Sam Leif

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: Examining the Influence of Cognitive Ability on Situating to a Video Game: Expanded Discussion, January 2022, Springer Science + Business Media,
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-90944-4_6.
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